SA 'fertile ground' for IS

Africa could become the new global terrorism battleground as Islamic State's territorial control in Syria diminishes, meaning South Africa's counter-terrorism strategies could be tested.

This message emerged yesterday in Pretoria at an international seminar on IS by think-tank the Afro-Middle East Centre.

The seminar comes weeks after the arrest of twins Brandon-Lee and Tony-Lee Thulsie on suspicion of allegedly supporting IS and planning attacks in South Africa.

The seminar heard that IS was driving itself and its alliance partners - many of which operate in Africa - through its estimated $1.6-billion (about R24-billion) cash reserves and the money it earned through oil sales, kidnappings, trafficking and arms smuggling.

In terms of South Africa's capabilities and the threats facing the continent, David Africa, executive director of the African Centre for Security and Intelligence Praxis, said South Africa did not have its head in the sand when it came to dealing with terrorism.

Africa, a South African counter-terrorism expert, said South Africa took the threat of terrorism very seriously.

"We have an alertness to the threats that we face without exaggerating them ."

Africa, however, said the country's intelligence services capabilities would only be known once something happened.

"Yes, we are not immune, with South Africans known to have fought in Afghanistan and Syria, and there definitely needs to be a focus on it, but unlike on the rest of the continent, there are other far greater crime threats facing us."

He warned that the problem for South Africa laid with the rest of the continent.

"I don't want to say specifically that Africa is becoming the new battlefield, but with IS diminishing in strength and territory, its fighters will be dispersed, with many coming to Africa, where large numbers of their affiliates are located."

Africa said that, with poverty and youth unemployment rising, these radical groups could tap into these factors and use them to fuel their growth.